Measuring and testing – Frictional resistance – coefficient or characteristics
Reexamination Certificate
2002-08-05
2004-03-30
Williams, Hezron (Department: 2856)
Measuring and testing
Frictional resistance, coefficient or characteristics
C073S009000, C073S159000, C073S579000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06711936
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an apparatus and a test form utilized to test sock-drop over a period of time, as well as a method of determining sock-drop.
As is generally known, socks have a tendency to sag and bulk over the course of the day due to agitation and/or gravitational forces and/or impact forces resulting from the gait or other movements of a person. In order to prevent sock-drop, people have used devices, such as, for example, sock garters to prevent socks from sagging and thereby causing an unkempt, disheveled or tousled appearance. These restraints attached to the top of the user's sock via clips and utilized an elastic band located between the user's knee and calf muscle as the support base. Subsequently, elastic threads were developed, which allowed the sock garters to be discarded because the socks were capable of remaining aloft independently. Various types of elastic yarns are available as sock components, each having a particular level of performance. For example, polyester or nylon fiber can be given a mechanical crimp (texturing process) which provides some level of stretch and recovery to the sock fabric, however, the mechanical crimp can fade over time due to washing and wearing. Thus, as the sock ages, its ability to hold its shape and remain at the desired place on a human leg diminishes. In addition, due to walking and/or similar movements, all socks would sag and eventually buckle or slide down the wearer's leg in response to the downward forces acting on the sock. To combat sock-drop, socks were constructed such that the elastic incorporated therein would exert sufficient levels of pressure against a wearer's leg, however, this often caused discomfort, such as skin irritation or indentation, when the socks were worn for any length of time.
Within the industry, consumers consistently register complaints in regards to two specific issues, (1) discomfort due to sock tightness, and (2) sock-drop. Typically, these aspects are considered to be mutually exclusive of one another, such that, in order to counteract sock-drop the tightness of the sock against the leg must be increased to a sufficient level. Conversely, in order to maximize comfort, sock tightness must be reduced, which reintroduces sock-drop. Therefore, the present invention solves a long-felt need within the industry because both the method of testing and the testing apparatus allow manufacturers to optimize the level of tightness to minimize the sock-drop and maximize comfort, thereby allowing manufacturers to properly address consumer complaints.
Typically, sock-drop testing is carried out using human beings to assess the capabilities of a particular sock, wherein participants either move about and report the amount of sock-drop resulting from their movements or a technician observes the amount sock-drop after a specified period of time. However, such methods are time consuming and make it difficult to reproduce reliable data due to human variability. These methods allow for too many external factors to interfere with and impact upon the performance of the sock, such as the forces exerted on the sock by a pant leg, leg flexion or muscle contractions.
Instruments are available for testing socks, however such units are designed to only test stretch/compression levels (i.e., U.S. Pat. No. 3,975,956 to Peel), or the amount of force exerted upon the wearer's leg by the sock. These instruments do not have the capability of simulating the momentum forces associated with the human gait or walking movements in order to evaluate sock-drop. Therefore, there is no apparatus or test method currently available and it has been necessary to adapt an existing apparatus for use in the present invention and develop a test method. Thus, there is a need within the industry to develop a method for testing socks in order to ascertain the necessary components, and amounts of each, to allow for optimal balancing of fabric compression, comfort and avoidance of sock-drop.
An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus capable of assessing the effects of human walking movements on sock-drop, as well as a method of testing sock-drop that is rapid and objective.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a sock testing apparatus comprising:
a) a means for agitation; and
b) a test form removably attached to said means for agitation.
The present invention further contemplates a method for testing sock-drop. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method comprising the steps of:
(a) loading a sock onto the test form, wherein the sock is positioned on the test form having a wear dimension;
(b) agitating the test form having the sock thereon with a reciprocating motion, for a predetermined time, along the main axis;
(c) measuring a sock-drop distance traveled by the sock; and optionally
(d) observing whether buckling of the sock occurred; and
(e) recording the elapsed time from the start of the test until bucking occurred,
where steps (d) and (e) are optional and may be taken by one skilled in the art if sock buckling and the time until such buckling occurred are desired data.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3442120 (1969-05-01), Russenberger et al.
patent: 3975956 (1976-08-01), Peel
patent: 4137763 (1979-02-01), Swallow
patent: 4561267 (1985-12-01), Wilkinson et al.
patent: 5491306 (1996-02-01), Gram
patent: 5945607 (1999-08-01), Peppel et al.
patent: 6357100 (2002-03-01), Speller, Jr. et al.
patent: 6362557 (2002-03-01), Gruber et al.
patent: 6523729 (2003-02-01), Gardon-Mollard
Brunk Donald H.
Conley Jill A.
Farmer Douglas K.
Whitener Tony M.
E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company
Furr, Jr. Robert B.
Jackson Andŕe K.
Williams Hezron
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